Fiedler, De Sosa Among 22 Named to Rail Panel

A citizens panel that will help determine the fate of light rail in the San Fernando Valley began to take shape Tuesday after 22 of its 32 seats were filled by a variety of business and homeowner representatives.

Among them is former Rep. Bobbi Fiedler (R-Northridge).

The panel, which will hold its first meeting March 31, was established by the City Council last week after the Los Angeles County Transportation Commission asked Los Angeles officials for help in determining what light-rail route, if any, has Valley support.

The commission acted after all five of its proposed routes for the Valley trolley line ran into opposition.

The panel has until Aug. 1 to make a recommendation to the council, which plans to make its own recommendation to the Transportation Commission by Sept. 1.

The resolution creating the panel does not limit it to seeking a light-rail route. The panel also is expected to study other transportation improvements, including expanding the bus system and double-decking the Ventura Freeway.

Others appointed to the panel are Jose De Sosa, state president of the NAACP; Ruth Richter, a former RTD board member; Barbara Romey, an unsuccessful Board of Education candidate in 1987; Richard Smith, president of Encino Property Owners Assn.; Tom Herman, a leader of the Eastern Sector Transit Coalition; Julie Fine, a leader of the Western Sector Transit Coalition; Polly Ward, president of the Studio City Residents Assn.; Roger Stanard, a Woodland Hills attorney and member of the County Transportation Commission’s Rail Construction Committee; Bruce Miller, president of the North Canoga Park Residents Assn.; Alice Katz, a member of the Tarzana Property Owners Assn.

Raymond Extract, past president of the Woodland Hills Chamber of Commerce; Al Solomon, a retired Woodland Hills engineer; Lyn Hayes, a real estate agent and member of the Encino Chamber of Commerce’s Traffic Committee; Howard Green, a Chatsworth insurance agent; Ron Ziff, a supermarket executive from North Hollywood; Jeffrey Levine, an Encino attorney; Jeff Olin, executive vice president of the North Hollywood Chamber of Commerce; Eileen Peterson of the Hollywood Knolls Homeowners Assn.; Ray Magana, a Sylmar attorney; Arlene Barnhardt, a Mission Hills housewife, and Al Dib, an Arleta businessman.

Mayor Tom Bradley and council members are expected to appoint the other 10 members by the end of the week.

In a related development, the council on Tuesday approved a resolution asking the county Transportation Commission for $100,000 to finance the citizens panel.